Linguistic diversity from & with students in Delmenhorst, led by LiDS-member Yaron Matras

25 June 2026

Photo: LiDS

Multilingualism is an integral part of everyday life, whether in the form of heritage languages used within the family, foreign language instruction at school, or the growing interest in foreign languages through media consumption. These are the findings of a research project on linguistic diversity in Delmenhorst. As part of the project, students and researchers jointly investigated, for the first time, language proficiency and language use in their school and family environments. In addition, the survey provided the first statistical data on this topic from a German city in more than 20 years.

Yaron Matras, head of the research project, is an Associate Member of the LiDS Research Centre as well as a Fellow of the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg. Together with researchers from the University of Oldenburg, Professor Matras is investigating multilingualism and linguistic diversity in Delmenhorst. Under his supervision, a group of Year 11 students from IGS Delmenhorst surveyed a total of 540 students aged 10 to 19 about the languages that play a role in their everyday lives. The results show that for 45% of respondents, German is not their heritage language. On average, respondents reported speaking three to four languages. More than 80% stated that they speak English. However, its use extends beyond the classroom and is reflected in everyday communication with friends as well as in media consumption. Media is also consumed in the students’ heritage languages, highlighting the importance for the maintenance of heritage languages. Media use also sparks interest in additional foreign languages, such as Japanese and Italian. Yaron Matras emphasises the potential of multilingualism, underlining that “languages exist alongside one another, not against one another.”

By surveying students while also taking into account their families and friends, the project generated findings across generations and beyond the school context. As a result, it provides valuable insights into language proficiency and language use among parts of the population of Delmenhorst and makes the city’s lived linguistic diversity visible.

Further information about the research project can be found here: Link